Chapter 39

Chapter 39

A million thoughts ran through my head as the water ran through me.

"Grant, hurry up, your phone is ringing!" Axel knocked on the door.

"Click on I can't talk right now. I'll be right out."

He didn't say anything more so I guess that problem is gone.

I shut the faucet close and stepped out of the shower. Put on the robe hanging next to it and grabbed a towel from the counter to wipe the steam off the mirror.

I stared at the woman looking back at me. How did she become so reckless, so spontaneous?

What happened to her? I can't even recognize her anymore.

I turned to look away, just to distract myself before I begin to question my entire existence.

I focused on my surroundings, and soon enough, distract myself I did.

This bathroom is bigger than my apartment's bathroom and it's just inside a jet!

Everything is sleek and well-lit. Vanity bulbs were attached to the mirror and there were gold trimmings on the sink.

Just how much fancier can he get?

"Grant!" his knuckles came in contact with the door in a single knock.

"Alright, alright! Just a minute." I grabbed my toiletries bag and brushed my teeth.

After a few minutes, I came out of the bathroom, all dressed and coiffed.

Well, my hair's not really coiffed, but you know what I mean.

"Took you long enough," he handed my phone.

I rolled my eyes at the impatient motherfucker and snatched my phone.

"Who's Charlie?" he demanded.

My gaze lifted from the phone to him. Is he seriously getting jealous now?

I just groaned and grabbed my stuff and went to the exit.

"Hey," he followed me.

"How do you open this?"

"I was asking you a question."

"It's none of your business."

I saw the small writing that says 'open' with a curved arrow going up.

I lifted the lever all the way up, pushed it a little, and the stairs cascaded down the floor.

"Wait," he said panicked.

I ignored him and went down the stairs.

I'm halfway to the entrance, expecting his annoying ass to follow me, but nothing.

Good.

As I reached the hallway, I saw my cousin sitting on a bench. Her foot tapped sporadically on the floor; hands clasped together.

Her gaze went my direction and delight sprouted in her eyes.

"Lauren!" she stood and came running to me, arms wide open.

"Oof, Charlie!" I grunted as she smashed onto me.

She held me at an arms-length, "Oh, wow, look at how much you've grown." She gasped, "You're even taller than me now!"

I chuckled. "How's everybody?" I shook my head, "How are you? How're the kids? I've missed you so much, Charles, we have a lot to catch up on."

"Everything's good. Same old, same old, but kind of not? You know."

I nodded, "Definitely."

She exhaled loudly, "Ten years."

"Yup."

"Grant!"

I winced.

"Who's that?"

Axel jogged towards us. "I told you to wait."

"Oh my God," Charlie's eyes widened infinitesimally.

Axel's gaze went to my cousin.

"You're... you're..."

He smiled, satisfied, "Axel James," he shook her vegetable hand.

She just stared at him with her mouth ajar, not letting go of Axel's hand.

"Charlie!" I whisper-shouted.

"Oh, so you're Charlie." He commented.

"Oh," she came back to her senses. "Right, right. Um... Very nice to meet you, Mr. James."

"Please, call me Axel." giving her the world's most charming smile, you'd melt if you don't know who he really is.

"Axel..." she fell into a daze again.

"Charlie," I called her again.

She shook her head, "Oh, um, I'm sorry, I just..." her expression turned serious, "Hold on, what is happening?"

"What do you mean?" Axel wondered.

Charlie turned to me, "How did you know him? How did...?" She pointed her finger from Axel to me back and forth.

"How did what?" Axel asked dubiously.

"How did you two cross paths?" Charlie ticked. "I mean – no offense to you, Laure – my cousin is a normal person."

"Gee, thanks, Charlie."

"So, you haven't seen the news," Axel said.

"What news?" She shook her head, "You know what, never mind. Let's talk about this later, but right now, Mom is waiting for us."

I nodded, "Okay."

We walked down the empty hallway.

Thank God, this airport isn't open for commercial planes. Could you imagine the crowd and paparazzi if they had a whiff that Axel is here?

Oh, wait, I forgot he controlled the paparazzi.

As we reached the parking lot, I noticed Axel was still following us.

I stopped on my tracks then turned a 180 to face him, "Wait, are you following us?"

"Of course, who would I follow?"

"I meant, why are you coming with us?" I let out a humorless chuckle, "I'm going to meet my family?"

"Yes, and?"

"They're not gonna like you, James." I held my head high.

His eyes gave me a once-over. "We'll see about that, Grant," He walked ahead of me dismissively and followed Charlie.

A scoff escaped me and I stood there baffled in the middle of the parking lot.

"Lauren! Are you coming or what?" Charlie called out.

I turned and they're already next to her car.

"Right..." I said to myself and tightened my grip on the luggage handle and walked to where they were.

Charlie opened the back of her minivan.

I carried my luggage to place inside.

"Let me," Axel grabbed it from me and put my bag next to his.

Charlie looked at me with a teasing smile as Axel placed my luggage in and closed the trunk.

I sat on the passenger seat while Axel sat at the back.

"I know it's been ten years since I've been here, but this doesn't look like the way to your mom's house?"

She chuckled, "It's because we're going to the beach."

"The beach?"

"Yeah. When Mama heard you're visiting for only two days, she said that she had to make it count. So, if you had to guess, she went all out."

"Oh. Wow. I just wanted to see you guys."

"How come you're here anyway?"

"It's a work thing."

"And...?" her eyes flitted to the rear-view mirror.

"Oh, that. It's... I'll explain later."

"Okay... Oh, we're almost here."

Her car regressed gears as she slowed to find a parking spot.

The leaves swayed to the idyllic silence and the waves hit the rocks just below the road.

The engine cut to a stop with the turn of the key and Charlie opened the glove compartment to get her sunglasses.

She put it on and we all opened the doors at the same time.

"Get your bags," Charlie said as she closed her door.

"Okay," I grabbed my sling bag from the passenger seat.

"Not just that. Your bags in the trunk."

"Wait, the whole luggage?" Axel asked.

She moved closer to me.

"Uh, yeah."

"But why?" I asked.

"Because we're going there." her fingers pointed to the island in the middle of the sea.

I held her arm in surprise, "Are we really?"

She chuckled, "Yes!"

My hands covered my mouth, "Oh, wow."

"What's the matter?" Axel asked from behind me.

"I've been wanting to go there since I was a kid," I replied, still looking at the island.

Charlie turned to him, "She was sixteen. I was twenty-three. I just finished College; didn't have a job so, I couldn't afford to go there when she asked me if we could. Thought it'd be a nice surprise."

I turned to them, "It is. Oh my God, it really is a nice surprise, Charlie. And to be fair, we just went to a dolphin show that day. So, I guess you maxed out before I saw the island."

"Well, that. And I honestly couldn't afford it back then."

I hugged her from the side.

"Oh," she uttered. "What's this for?"

I let go of her, "I just appreciate this so much. Thank you."

"Aw, it's no big deal, bud." She ruffled my hair.

"Okay, not the hair, please." We laughed as I smoothed my hair.

Axel smiled at us with both our bags on his side.

"Alright, now, let's go." She hooked her arm around my neck and we started to walk.

She let go of me suddenly and whispered, "Hey, your bags."

I glanced at the back and saw Axel walking two suitcases on each side.

"Eh, let him."

Her brows raised in surprise. "Girl."

"What?" I feigned innocence then smirked, "Let's go."

We walked through the long stretch of a small dock where the boat was waiting for us.

"Good morning, Mamser."

"Morning, Kuya," Charlie replied.

"Ma'am, akala ko dalawa lang kayo."

"Oh, um, he followed us," I replied.

"Ma'am, nagta-tagalog po kayo?"

I chuckled, "No, but I can understand a bit."

"Ah, okay," he nodded. "Uh, sorry, Ma'am but you only paid for two for the ferry transfer."

"Alright, how much is it?" Axel spoke.

"Um, one-thousand, Sir."

His brows raised, "Oh, okay. Uh, do you accept cards?"

"Sorry, Sir, just cash."

He nodded, "Alright. Give me a second."

He opened the zipper pocket of his bag and took out a wallet.

My eyes bulged when he took out a couple hundred.

"Psst!"

"Why? What's the matter?"

"He meant pesos, Axel. Not dollars," I whispered.

"Oh." He slowly put the cash back inside his wallet.

Charlie chuckled, "I got it." She handed the bill. "Let's go."

The ferry boarded and after a little while, Axel came to my side.

"Hey, how much was it in dollars? I can pay her back." He said in a low voice like he's afraid Charlie might hear.

"Don't worry about it. It's like twenty bucks."

"Oh, okay." He nodded as he walked back to his seat.

I observed while he zoned out looking at the water. Huh. I hope he wouldn't do anything crazy for just twenty bucks.

It took us just about ten minutes to get to the island.

The crew handled our bags to put on one of the villas Charlie rented as per her instruction. And we took a long golf cart to get to where we need to go. Surprisingly, the island's expanse is still pretty big.

We stopped at the pool area and Charlie walked ahead of us.

"Hey, everyone, we're here," she announced as we arrived.

I heard hushed voices and footsteps hitting the floor in panic.

As soon as Charlie and I came into view, they cheered.

"Welcome back, Lauren!" party poppers went off and some were hitting spoons on wine glasses. A banner saying 'Welcome Home' and some balloons created the perfect backdrop.

But as soon as a certain male came into view, clatters came to a stop and silverware dropped on the floor, just like their mouths.

"Hi?" I said, unsure.

"Is that Axel James?" A middle-aged man said from the right.

"Mm-hm," Charlie nodded in pursed lips. "Uh, that'll be my husband." She whispered behind me.

My brows raised, "Right. Did y'all watch a movie of him or something?" I whispered back.

"Yeah," she exhaled. "We all did."

I looked back at their shocked faces.

This is going to be interesting.

"Auntie Monica!" I greeted with a hug as I tried to break the eerie silence.

"Uh-huh..." she tapped my shoulder free, eyes fixed on Axel just behind me. "What is he, uh... Why is he..." she said at a loss for words.

"Oh, him? I work with him."

"Say what now?" Axel said from behind me.

"Yeah, uh, he modeled at the Philippine Fashion Week yesterday, I'm sure you've heard of that."

She's walking closer to Axel in wonder, eyes glancing my way from time to time, listening to what I was saying.

"I was his assistant for that event." I continued.

She stopped as if the fairy dust ran out. "Wait, I thought you're an Accountant."

"I am! I just assumed the role of assistant just to be here."

"Oh," she exhaled a sigh of relief.

My brows knit together, "You do know that being an assistant is no picnic."

"Yes, but it isn't a profession."

I nodded, despite all the disagreements that ran through my head, "Okay."

"So, hi, you're Axel James, right?"

"The one and only," his lips quirked up in a sunny grin. "It's my pleasure to meet you, Ms. Monica." He bowed slightly.

Aunt Monica blushed, "Oh, please, call me Auntie Monica."

What?

The ice seemed to be broken now that Auntie Monica paved the way to Axel and now, they all flocked around him. Interested about this... human being.

I made my way to the table where the food is and grabbed a spring roll and ate it begrudgingly.

* * *

They love him.

It is now, without a doubt, a truth universally acknowledged. If you catch my drift.

Charlie's boys – Levi, 7, and Aiden, 4 – ran next to the pool.

"Ay, Charlotte, your kids!" Aunt Monica yelled.

"I'll take care of them, Charlie." Axel nodded reassuringly and ran to where my nephews were.

"Hey, boys," he squatted to meet their height.

The boys stood closer to each other like flowers closing up.

Charlie's husband, Nathan, walked towards them, "It's okay, boys, he's no stranger danger. Say, why don't we go down the beach and play ball?"

Their eyes lit up like Christmas day and nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright, let's go!" Axel stood and held Levi's hand in his. Nathan carried Aiden by the hip and I watched their backs as they walked away, eating watermelon on a lounge chair.

"Why didn't you tell us that you have a celebrity boyfriend?" Aunt Monica sat next to me. "I should have prepared more."

"Auntie, he's not-"

"Oh!" Charlie gasped.

"What is it, Charlotte?"

"I just googled them and look!" She handed her phone to Aunt Monica.

"Oh my God, Lauren. You're famous!"

"No, I'm not!"

"And... wow." Aunt Monica exhaled as they scrolled through Charlie's phone.

"What is it?" I straightened and hunched over to look.

Their brows raised as they kept the phone to themselves.

I pouted then begrudgingly sat back on the chair.

They continued fumbling on the phone. My hands squished my face as my jaw rested on the heels of my palms.

I groaned, "I'm going in for a swim."

"Okay, Lauren, we'll just... do our thing here," Charlie said without actually paying any mind.

I put my lace cardigan on and walked down to the beach instead of going in on the pool. What sense does it make to be on an island and just swim in a pool? Who even has half a wit to come here for the pool?

As I trudge my way down, I saw an old infrastructure from a distance. Some kind of ruins, if that applies.

Something about it draws me in and my feet moved on their own accord, walking towards it.

"Hey!"

"Jesus, Nathan, you scared the daylights out of me." my hand clutched my chest.

"Sorry, Lauren, but, uh, don't go there by yourself."

"Why?"

"Well, you might disturb some spirits or deities. We're still on an island and it's their place, not ours."

"Do you seriously believe in those?"

He exhaled, "I didn't. Until my mom got possessed by an angry dwarf."

"What?"

"Oh, believe me, it was scary. We had to call a faith healer just to bring her back."

"Oh my God."

"Yeah," he nodded, looking at the ground.

His head rose and met my eyes, "Anyway, just steer clear of places like that. And never go by yourself."

"Oh..." I nodded. "Okay."

"Let's go? I just went to the comfort room to pee."

"The comfort room?"

"Uh, the bathroom?"

"Oh. Alright," I replied and we started to walk slowly.

I observed the surroundings as we walked. How the birds chirped from above, how the waves crashed to the shore, how the leaves swayed with the wind, and how, with every step, the sand engulfed my feet.

"You know, Axel told me that you two were fighting."

"He did?"

"Yeah, he said he messed up big time and that he wants to make it up to you."

"Really?"

He chuckled, "Made me swear to never tell you, but I think you should know."

I stopped to face him, "And why is that?"

"He's a good guy, Lauren," he smiled. "That's all I know."

I nodded, at a loss for words, and we continued to walk.

* * *

The day went faster than I'd hoped for.

They whipped out the old karaoke machine after dinner. Axel was plenty surprised by how well my family sings.

That's just on being Filipino.

"Okay, let's call it a night," Charlie said with Levi and Aiden, yawning on her lap. "Nathan," she called on her husband. "Get Levi."

He rushed to her and picked up Levi.

"Mama, can you help out Lauren and Axel get to their room?"

"Of course, anak, it's the one next to mine, right?"

"Yes, Mama."

"Wait, what do you mean 'their room'?"

Charlie struggled to keep Aiden upright as he already fell asleep.

"Well, we didn't know he'd be here." She replied.

"Well, um, I'm sure we could ask for another room." Axel stood from his seat.

Auntie Monica moved closer to us, "I'm sorry, but we have already asked for another room and they said all the other villas are under maintenance."

"What?" I replied, panicked. "Okay, then I... I'd just stay with you, Auntie."

Charlie laughed, "You wouldn't like it, Lauren. Mama developed sleep apnea. You wouldn't be able to sleep."

Auntie Monica nodded, "It's true, Lauren. I have a machine."

"But..."

"Oh, it's okay, hija. It's just a room, surely you could share."

Axel draped his arm on my shoulder, "Don't worry, Auntie Monica. We'll find a way to share."

"See! You can make it work." Charlie commented. Aiden groaned on her shoulder. "Okay, we really have to go now. See you in the morning, you guys!"

"See you." if I can survive the night.

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GLOSSARY:

Mamser – Ma'am + Sir; the generic term for either ladies or gentlemen or both.

Kuya – used as a polite title or form of address for an older man.

"Ma'am, akala ko dalawa lang kayo." – "Ma'am, I thought it would just be two of you."

"Ma'am, nagta-tagalog po kayo?" – "Ma'am, you can speak Tagalog?"

Tagalog – major dialect in the Philippines

Comfort room (CR) – Philippine term for Restroom

Anak – child

Hija – girl